Kerala govt relaxes lockdown curbs; shops to open 6 days
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 4: The Kerala government on Wednesday announced easing of the lockdown curbs, imposed in the state in view of the spread of COVID-19.
Health Minister Veena George, who made a statement in this regard in the state Assembly, said it would be a triple lockdown for shops located in an area, where over 10 of the 1000 people of the population are infected in a week.
"In other places, shops will be allowed to operate six days in a week considering the current general situation in the state and the progress of the vaccination," she said, adding that it can function from 7 am till 9 pm.
Shops would remain open and curbs would be eased on August 15 and 22 though the days fall on Sunday, considering the Independence Day and the Onam festival rush respectively, she said.
However, the minister urged the shops and business establishments to make special arrangements to avoid rush and ensure social distancing in their premises on account of festival season.
Meetings would be held with local self government bodies, police and traders in this regard, she added.
Noting that the practice of avoiding political, cultural and social gatherings, which used to attract huge crowds, should be continued, George said people should visit the places of worship considering its area and space.
A maximum of 40 people can visit the places of worship which are generally spacious, while up to 20 people can attend weddings and funerals.
The LDF government had been facing severe criticism from the opposition parties and traders in the state for some time over its continuing pandemic-induced curbs.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
